Potato-digging machine.



msea; Y Psw; mammie.

wuegcz i Y Y athena,

rus cams versies im; ausswwfr. n i:v

PATENTE MAY 14, 419m".

' E. G, 553331323i w Y PQTATQ mamme, Mmmm PPLICTIGI FILED BEE, 1i, NBS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

POTATO-DIGGING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1907.

Appleation filed December ll, 1906. Serial No. 347.325.

.To all whom it may; concer-ie:

Be it known that l, ERNST Serienmail., a Citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Hammond, in. the county of Lake and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Imprfwements in Potato-Digging iliaoliines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the aceompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in oom bined potato diggers and separators and consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to improve porting truck for the front end of the Inaehine and the draft tongue being also omitted g Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the improved machine, with parts omitted to more clearly illustrate the im roved construction; Fig. 3 is a detail vertica longitudinal section; Fig. 4 is a detail vertical transverse section through the lower ,and forward end of the machine; Figs. 5 and 6 are views of one of the rotary agitators; Fig. 7 is a detail section throng the shovel and one of its earth-breaking ribs 5 and Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views of the rake or kicking device mounted above the separator,

My improved machine comprises a resin frame 1 inclined downwardly and forwardly and consisting of side plates 2. the fraise is supported by su porting and drive Wheels 3 mounted upon tlie ends of an axle 4 arranged in bearings upon the side plates 2. The forward end of the freine may be adjustably supported in any suitable manlier, but I preferably attach to the sideV plates forwardly extending arms 5 to Whieh is oonnected a Wheeled truck (not shown) provided with a draft tongue. Suitable adjustable The rear of' means (not shown) are provided between the arms 5 and the truck for raising and lowering the shovel 6 which is secured to and unites the `front ends ol the side plates 2.

The side plates 2 have their lower forward ends formed with laterallyY offset portions 7 vfor the nirpose of increasing the width of the forward end of the. frame. The offset portions 7 are flared outwardly, as clearly shown in Fivs. 1 and 4, and are formed with longitu dinally extending openings S which permit ol the escape of earth thrown by the shovel 6 open the slatted bottom or raak 9 of the frame 1. The increase in the Width of the iront end of the trarne also provides more space upon each side of the rack 9 for the discharge of the earth,

In order to break up the earth passing over the shovel 6, I preferably provide upon the top of the latter two or more ribs 10, here shown in the form of straps of metal having their front Yends formed with oii'set or bent portions l1 inserted in slots 12 in the shovel and their rear ends bent to form semi-circular loops 13 which are bolted, as shown at 14, upon the rear or upper portion of the shovel, as will be readily seen upon reference to Fig. 7. These ribs l0 break up the earth and deposit it in small pieces upon the rack 9. The rack 9 consists of a plurality of dat bars or slats arranged in parallel relation between the side plates of the frame and With their iiat faces disposed vertically. Adjacent to their upper and lower ends are formed transversely alining apertures through the lower set of which is passed a transverse pivot rod or shaft 16 which has its projectin ends suitably secured in the side plates 2. he slats 9 swing freely from the pivot 15 and they are spaced apart by cylindrical sleeves 16a arranged'upon said rod or pivot between them and between the outermost ones and the inner faces of the sides, 2, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A securing rod 17' is passed through the alining apertures in the upper ends of the slats 9 but said rod simply serves to rigidly connect the slats and has no oonnection With the side'plates, Upon the conneoting rod 17' are arranged cylindrical spaeing sleeves 1'?a which are similar to the sleeves 16, The upper or rear ends of the slats or bars 9 are adapted to be successively engaged by a series of agitator barslS (pref- IOO erablv` four in number) arranged between two sprocket wheels l!) on a main drive shaft 2() molmted in suitable bearings upon the upper, rear ends of the side plates The upper end of the rack is supported by the bars 1S and as the shaft 21) revolves, the upper end of the .rack is elevated successively by each bar 1S until it drops from the. same and upon the next succeeding one, thus the rack is oscillated or shaken to cause the earth upon it to fall between its bars or slats.

The sproclut wheels 11.) are the driving wheels for an endless carrier which travels over the rack S) and elevates the earth, potatoes and vines thereon. This endless carrier consists of two sprocket chains 21 connected at suitable intervals by angle-metal, cross bars 22. The chains 21 are arranged upon each side of the rack U and pass over small sprocket wheels 2.3 fixed upon a transverse shaft 24 suitably mounted in the offset portions 7 of the side plates. The shaft 24 is arranged between the rear edge of the shovel and the lower ends of the slats 9 and upon its intermediate portion are arranged a plurality of agitators 25 which serve to break up the earth. and lift it from the shovel onto the rack. Each of the agitators, as clearly shown in 5 and 6 comprises a hub 26 from which radiate two oppositely projecting arms 27 having curved, outer ends. One end of each hub 26 has ribs 2S to enter grooves 29 formed in the opposing end of. the next adjacent hub so that the agitators will be maintained in their relative positions. As shown, the ribs and grooves on the hubs are so arranged that the arms 27 on adjacent hubs are in planes at right-angles to each other, but if desiredJ all of the arms on the. hubs may be in the same plane. The hubs 26 are keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 27 so as to rotate therewith. Similar agitating devices 30 are mounted upon a transverse shaft 31 located beneath the rack at a point approxilnately midway its length and journaled in suitable bearings upon the side plates 2. One of the agitators 3() is arranged between each two of the slats or bars of the rack 9 and they are caused to rotate by providing upon the shaft 31 sprocket wheels 32 which mesh with the upper stretches of the elevator chains 21. l t will be noted that as the elevator chains travel upwardly through the frame of the machine their cross bars 22 will carry the earth and potatoes up- Wardly over the slats Q and will pass between the elevator arms which rotate between the slats. These arms are adapted to project a considerable distance beyond or above the slats and the elevator chains so that their curved outer ends will effectively break up the earth between the cross bars of the elevator. The lower stretches of the latter pass over a guide roller arranged upon a transversely extending shaft 33 mounted in suitj able bearings in the offset 'portions T of the side plates 2. llach of the supporting and jdriving wheels It carries a gear 334 whieh i meshes with a pinion 955 upon one end of the l shaft 2li. "hns when the machine is drawn forwardljv the rack t) is oseillated or shaken` the elevator' is set in motion and the agitators 25 and ft) are also rotated.

Piwitally mounted at the rear ol' the inachine ipon the main shaft 2() is a separator fanie 36 consisting of two side plates .37

united l y front and rear, arched portions 3S,

Ih). The side plates 37 are plvoted upon the i shalt 2() and have iorwardly extending arms 40 in which is joernaled a transverse shaft 41 carrying at one end a sprocket wheel 42 and at its opposite end a crank disk 43. Suitable slots 44 are formed in the bottom edges of the side plates 2 to reeeive the shaft 4l when the frame 36 is lowered. No adjusting means for the frange 36 is shown, but I preferably employ such as is shown in the patent granted to Hoover. May 8th, 1882, Number 382,363. Provided upon the sprocket wheel 42 and the disk 43 are wrist pins to which are pivoted the upwardly curved forward ends of the side hars 45 of a screen 46. The latter consists of a plrrality of parallel rods connected at their forward ends to a cross har 47 w ich connects the side hars The rear rends of the hars 45 are adjust ably connected, as at 4S, to the lower ends of hangers 4) pivoted at 50 upon the side plates 37 of the frame 36. B v thus mounting the screen, it will he seen that it will he oscillated or shaken when` the shaft 41 is rotated. The sprocket wheel 42 on. the shaft 41 is engaged by a sprocket chain 51 which also passes around an idle sprocket wheel 52 mounted upon one of the side plates 37 and has its upper stretch engaged with a sprocket wheel 53 fixed upon 'one end of the main drive shaft 2t). The motion of` the latter is thus imparted to the shaft 41'.

The screen 46 separates the earth from the potatoes and in order to separate the vines from the potatoes, a second screen 54 is arranged ahove the screen 46 and consists of rods having their forward ends connected to the cross bar 47 and their rear ends curved laterally or to one side, shown in Fig. 2. Co-aeting with the screen 54 is a rake 55 arranged upon an angulany-disposed crank portion 56 of a shaft 57. The latter is mounted in suitalde hearings upon the side plates 37 and has upon one of its ends a sprocket wheel 58 which meshes with the upper stretch of a sprocket chain 59 passing over a sprocket wheel 6U upon the main drive shaft 20, and also over an idle sprocket wheel 61 mounted upon the rear arch 3Q. The rake consists ofa hub 62 formed with rake fingers 63, a stop arm 64 and a leg or projection 65. The hub 62 is arranged hetween the legs of a substantially U-shaj'ied hanger TOO IIO

a wheel su ported frame inclined downwardly and orwardly and having side plates, a shovel at the front end of said frame, a rack consistingr of parallel slats arranged. in said frame between said side bars, an endless elevator to travel over said rack and consisting of sprocket chains arranged adjacent to said side plates of the frame and connected by cross bars, a transverse shaft in said frame, sprocket wheels upon said. shaft and engaged with said elevator chains, hubs upon the intermediate portion oiI said shaft having radial arms to rotate between said slats and the` said hubs being cross hars of said elevator, arranged upon said shaft with their ends in contact with each other and a proj eetion upon one end of each of said huhs to enter a seat or recess in the opposing end of the next adjacent hub for the pur ose s ecied.

6. In a machine o the c aracter described, a wheel supported frame inclined forwardly and downwardly and comprising side plates havingr laterally otiset lower ends to enlarge l the forward end of said frame, said offset portions beinglr flared outwardly and havingr l longitudinall)T extendingr openings, substantiallyT as shown and for the purposes set forth. In testimony whereof I hereunto atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNST G. SUHREIBE R.

li tnesses J. G. IBACH, i HENRY HAP?. 

